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Monday, August 16, 2010

Jason Flemyng, one of those talented supporting actors we've been seeing in almost every other great blockbuster ("League of Extraordinary Gentlemen", "Clash of the Titans", "Benjamin Button", "Stardust", "Ironclad") but most people don't remember his name, will star in the upcoming "X-Men: First Class". He will be sporting a very cool costume as Nightcrawler’s father Azazel, a demonic mutant from biblical times who was banished by angels from heaven and can teleport across dimensions, as well as generate devastating energy blasts.

And if you like Starz channel like I obviously do (I'm sure you've noticed), you will be happy to hear that beside "Spartacus" and "Camelot" they are planning another additions to their historical shows. Pierre Morel ("Taken", "From Paris With Love") will helm their pilot for "William The Conqueror", a show on the famous French ruler who led the successful invasion of the British Isles in 1066. The show will focus on the period just before and just after the famous invasion of Normans over Saxons. It's also interesting that Starz is also planning a sequel to their successful epic show "Pillars of the Earth" which is currently airing: "World Without End" (also based on a Ken Follett's bestseller) will be set in the 13th century, a hundred years after the events of "Pillars", and will take place against the backdrop of the Black Death and the Hundred Years War.

@MJenksyes, it's true, Normandy wasn't the same as France, but he did lead French soldiers, along with Normans, Bretons and the Flemish warriors, when he won the famous battle of Hastings :) And he is the main cause for the Norman/French domination over all aspects of English life in the later centuries which has changed English culture forever. We had a very similar thing here in Serbia, when the Ottoman empire beat Serbs at the famous Kosovo battle in 1389 after which Serbs had to suffer under Turkish rule for almost 500 years. It left serious impact on Serbian language and culture just like Norman conquest did to English lg and culture.

I can't even keep up with all of the movies let alone the TV things. I don't get Starz on my satellite package. Maybe I can see World Without End if it comes on DVD -- I like the title. Isn't there some zombie movie with the same title?

Azazel is one of the most hated characters in X-Men history, according to fans. I personally didn't find him that bad, especially since he was a part of only one story (among hundreds of others) in rich X-Men mythos. But I guess reactions to his appearance were so bad, that they (editors and writers) decided never to use him again. Or to talk of him. :)Of course, this doesn't mean a thing to screen writers. :) It's not like they plan to make a meaningful and good story in the first place. :)

@Belsso why do they hate him so much if his appearance was so short? But, then again, who cares for fanboys, the movies aren't made for them and admittedly they are never really satisfied with the adaptations of their favourite comics :)

I'm not really sure why they hate him. Probably because of some retcon (retroactive continuity). With that story, writers "changed" established history concerning Nightcrawler (his birth parents) in a way that most of readers didn't like. Maybe there was something beyond that, but I don't particularly care about reasons for hating something.

Still, I think Azazel in this film is unnecessary addition (like many other characters). He's supposed to be a father of a character which is not even among top ten important characters (in this film).